I own both. Both are rugged (probably the Shure slightly more rugged — no problem driving over the FP24, other than paying to fix my car) and low noise. The Femto is slightly smaller and weighs a little less. The Shure uses two AA batteries and it lasts longer than I would have thought — at least 5-6 hours using phantom power and turning the LEDs down as far as they can go (still blindingly bright) ... the Femto uses two 9volt batteries — I can’t give estimates about how long the two 9v last because I haven’t used it in enough situations to know.

If I could only own one, it would by the Shure. The difference is that the technicians who service the units are here in Wisconsin (because it is a Sound Devices product). If I need service on the Femto, and I hope I never do, am I going to send it to France? I don’t think so.

Folks in Europe might have the opposite feeling.

both are excellent products and will provide quite a few years of use.

I've got a Femto and a mixpre-D, too. They're similar in build quality. The Femto is easier to carry and overall the better option if you're going to record long sets / festivals as it features both a Hirose input and two internal 9V battery trays. If you're using LiIon rechargeables you might get >5h out of the 9V batteries. The mixpre-D is the better option if you need multiple outputs, limiter, channel ganging / linking. It's also a bit less sensitive than the Femto if you're recording super-loud stuff (Swans, Dinosaur Jr. etc.). It's bulkier though and you'll always have to carry some NP-1 rechargeables and cup-adapters for longer runs.

I might be selling one of these preamps at some point because I also have a mixpre-6 - but haven't decided yet which one to keep.

The Femto is easier to carry and overall the better option if you're going to record long sets / festivals as it features both a Hirose input and two internal 9V battery trays. If you're using LiIon rechargeables you might get >5h out of the 9V batteries.

When I had the Femto I could get around 8 hours off two high mAh rechargeables.

I find this thread a little funny. I bought obaaron’s FP24 — I really love it too! — as well as the exact Femto unit which I believe Gordon used to own.

What I said in a previous post still is true: both are excellent pieces of gear that should last a very long time. I expect there’s going to be at least one and maybe more owners of these exact metal boxes I own, since they will probably outlast my taping career. Preamps seem to last (practically) forever!

My only concern, and this is theoretical, is how I am going to get any kind of service on the Femto if it ever needs it. For the Shure, I can drive for an hour or two and drop it off at Sound Devices HQ if necessary. (I used to do that with my old Koss headphones which had a lifetime no questions asked warranty — I would drive about two miles to the factory store with my broken set and get a replacement set in person).

Never getting rid of my PF24. Thing just sounds so nice...there really is something to those Lundahls.

Agreed on all points, except I don't think the Lundahls add a "color" of their own, in contrast to other transformer-based pres I've heard. What it does have is gobs of gain without getting noisy, if that is something you need.

Very nice design. I've often thought of doing this, This is (probably) a standard SSM2017 design (from the old GP devices we had years ago). Inside there is probably a simple 5V -> -12/+12 V converter unit.

As for great Pres, I love the Sound Devices MP2.I love this thing but it's got noisy pots and needs the AA mod.Sound Devices does not want to help me, I am in Canada. USA service I hope is better.

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Please DO NOT mail me with tech questions. I will try to answer in the forums when I get a chance. Thanks.